A post-apocalyptic tale, in which a lone man fights his way across America in order to protect a sacred book that holds the secrets to saving humankind.
I love this movie. I love everything about it. This film has been criticized for being heavy on religion but people are missing the point. It’s no secret that the book that Eli (Washington) is protecting is the bible. What this film really is about is the exploration of faith and how far you are willing to go for it. In this film we have the great contrast of that in Denzel Washington (who wants to protect the book in hope that humanity can be saved) and Gary Oldman (who wants the book for power and control). The end result – two actors who are both excellent in their roles.
Another thing that I love is the post-apocalyptic setting – it’s unforgiving, uncompromising, bleak, violent and harsh. It’s an environment where human nature has been completely thrown out the window, something in which the overhyped Terminator Salvation lacked in terms of believability.
With a great twist at the end, the Hughes brothers have made a film that is thoughtful and intriguing that definitely needs a second viewing.
BTW - Denzel is an absolute badass in his action scenes!
One of Denzel's best